Posted: Sunday, December 7, 2008 12:00 am
Most timelines of Oregon communities stretch back to the 19th century. Harlan's does as well, though it was settled fairly late compared to other areas in the state. Still, plenty of important historical events happened in the Coast Range community.
September 1849 - The Yaquina Burn scorches timber from the west side of Marys Peak to Toledo
1870s - The first European settlers arrive in the Big Elk Valley, finding plenty of burnt snags
June 1, 1890 - Morgan Lillard is killed by his son-in-law and becomes the first man buried at Harlan Cemetery
1926 - The Harlan School and Harlan Store are built near the T intersection at the heart of the community
1940 - Electricity comes to the area
1950s - Locals get telephone service
1955 - Improved roads and better rigs result in the first logs from the Harlan area being taken to outside mills
1961 - Congregation moves into Chapel of the Valley church
1967 - Harlan School closes and students head to Eddyville for instruction
1970s - Harlan Store closes
Early 1980s - The last mill in Harlan shuts down
September 1994 - The U.S. Forest Service turns the Big Elk Campground over to the community
2001 - Dale Thomas closes his wrestling camp for kids in Harlan because of ill health. The Oregon State University coach had the most dual meet wins in NCAA history, with 616, at the time of his death. His motto fit right in with Harlan: "You gotta like it tough."